Power of Stars: Book One: Kit
by Pinefur
Summary: This is basically my idea of 'The Power of Three'. This is about Jaypaw as a kit as how she grows to become an apprentice. There's going to be a Book Two and Three too, assuming I get enough reviews.
1. Prologue

The water in the pool rippled as four cats stalked through the pale grass up to it. Stars shone in its depths, a reflection of the night sky. One of the cats spoke, a silvery-blue queen.

"Blood has spilled blood," she meowed, her strong voice echoing.

"And the lake has run red," agreed a black and white tom.

A light colored tabby with a twisted jaw flicked his tail. "There will be peace at last, as is right."

But a small tortoiseshell, the fourth cat, shook her head. "No, Crookedstar. There is new trouble arising."

The silver-blue queen by Crookedstar cocked her head. "What do you mean, Spottedleaf?"

Spottedleaf closed her eyes. "The Clans feel hate towards certain cats, Bluestar. I believe that this problem is not over yet." She bent down and touched the pool with her nose. Immediately the surface changed, revealing two warriors. "These two have danger in their future."

"Half-Clan cats," remarked Bluestar. "What do you think of this, Tallstar?"

The black and white tom sighed. "What Spottedleaf says is true. RiverClan has driven out that one, for being half ThunderClan." The leader glanced at Crookedstar, as if blaming him for this hostility.

"What of the other?" meowed Crookedstar, ignoring Tallstar. "The ShadowClan she-cat."

"Trouble awaits them," hissed Bluestar.

Spottedleaf's eyes burned with an amber fire. "But three can help."

The surface of the pool rippled and changed again. It now showed a sleeping cat, fire colored and battle-scarred. Spottedleaf leaned down until she was almost touching the surface of the water.

"_There will be three_," she mewed. "_Kin of your kin, who hold the power of stars in their paws_."


	2. Chapter 1

"Jaykit! Come back!" 

The small kit stiffened as the meow startled the mouse and it raced off into the undergrowth. Jaykit yowled and raced after it, her dark furred tail streaming behind her. Suddenly a hissing shape reared in front of her, and the kit skidded to a halt.

"Jaykit! What are you doing?" The cat was a ginger colored queen, and Jaykit's mother.

Jaykit glared defiantly at the she-cat. "You scared away the mouse I was going to catch!"

The queen's eyes flared. "Firestar said that all kits should remain inside the camp! So why are you out here?"

Jaykit looked down at her paws. "I was hunting. And I'll be an apprentice soon," she muttered.

The queen, Squirrelflight, snarled. "Not for a moon!" She flicked her tail. "I don't want you to get hurt! Don't you remember _why_ Firestar ordered kits not to leave camp?" Without waiting for Jaykit to answer, Squirrelflight snapped, "Foxes! Brackenfur scented them a few days ago, and they could still be lurking around. They'll stay until Firestar or Brambleclaw sends a patrol to scare them off!"

Jaykit kneaded the ground with her brown paws. "But it's so _boring_ in the camp."

"Boring or not, you'll stay there."

Jaykit spat, but followed Squirrelflight back to the ThunderClan camp. Lionkit and Holly kit were there, waiting for her.

"Did you catch anything?" asked Lionkit excitedly.

"No," Jaykit meowed. "But I would have."

Squirrelflight sighed, and entered the nursery. Lionkit, Hollykit and Jaykit trailed after her. Hollykit fell back beside her sister as they went into the nursery.

"What did you almost catch?" she mewed.

"A mouse."

"Don't encourage her," warned Squirrelflight. "Kits can't go outside now."

Hollykit blinked. "Why do we have to stay inside the camp?"

Squirrelflight opened her mouth to tell her, but Jaykit interrupted. "Because there's foxes," she meowed.

"Foxes?" Lionkit looked around nervously. He tasted the air.

Hollykit jumped up eagerly. "If a fox comes, I'll rip it to shreds!"

"No, you won't," scolded Squirrelflight. "Stop bouncing around, all of you!"

There was a purr as another cat entered the nursery. "They're just like you, Squirrelflight."

"They drive me crazy, Leafpool," the queen meowed to her sister. "But it's worth it." A flicker of sadness flew across Leafpool's face. She would never have kits as a medicine cat.

"I'm going to be the best warrior there ever was!" purred Jaykit to the medicine cat.

"I'm sure you will be," meowed Leafpool. She dropped a bundle of herbs beside Squirrelflight. "Poppy seeds," she explained. "To help you sleep."

"StarClan knows I need it," muttered Squirrelflight good-naturedly. She thanked Leafpool, who exited the den.

Jaykit shifted to her other paw. "Can we go play with Honeypaw? We'll stay in the camp." The other kits nodded.

Squirrelflight thought for a moment. "Fine, but be careful."

"Yay!" The kits raced out of the nursery. Jaykit skidded to a halt outside of the apprentice's den. "Honeypaw!" she called.

Honeypaw appeared from the den. "Hi, Jaykit!"

Lionkit and Hollykit yowled and jumped onto the apprentice in a play fight. Jaykit fought on Honeypaw's side. The young cats tumbled over the ground. Jaykit clambered onto Lionkit, but her brother pushed her off. Jaykit rolled over the dusty ground and careened into a snarling tom. The kit pulled herself up and backed away as the tabby hissed at her.

It was Ashfur.

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**This is a cliffhanger only because everyone seems to think that Ashfur is the traitor who helped Hawkfrost.**

**But is he? **


	3. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! Other people review it, too! **

"Watch it!" Ashfur snapped. His gray pelt bristled angrily, and his tail lashed the air. The tom snarled at Jaykit and bared his fangs.

Jaykit backed away slowly as the warrior glowered at her, her eyes wide. "S-sorry, Ashfur," she squeaked. Hollykit and Lionkit pressed beside their sister, who started trembling. Every cat in ThunderClan suspected Ashfur of helping Hawkfrost in the plan to kill Firestar, and all of the young cats were terrified of him.

"Jaykit! Are you okay?" Hollykit gave Jaykit's ear a quick lick. Honeypaw spat at Ashfur, but her eyes revealed her fear.

Ashfur hissed and turned away from the kits and apprentice, but before he could go a brown cat yowled from across the clearing. "Ashfur! What are you doing, terrifying young kits like that?"

Brambleclaw, the ThunderClan deputy, was striding across the camp toward the pale gray warrior. Ashfur narrowed his eyes. It was known that Brambleclaw was the cat he hated most, especially since the brown tabby had been made deputy and had Squirrelflight for a mate.

"These careless kits crashed into me," Ashfur growled. "That one nearly knocked me over!" He pointed his tail accusingly at Jaykit.

Brambleclaw, who was also Jaykit's father, glared at the warrior. "That's no excuse for frightening kits. Don't let me catch you doing it again."

"Fine," muttered Ashfur under his breath as Brambleclaw padded away. "You won't _catch_ me doing it." The tom slunk into the warrior's den.

Honeypaw let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan that's over." The apprentice shook herself. "Guess what?" Her eyes glowed.

"What?" asked Jaykit eagerly.

"Rainwhisker said I can be a warrior soon!"

"Really?" Lionkit looked astonished. "_I_ want to be a warrior! I'll be the best warrior ever!"

"But Leafpool said that _I_ would be," whined Jaykit.

Lionkit flicked her with his tail. "We can both be the best warriors."

"Okay."

"What about me?" mewed Hollykit. "What do I get to be?"

"You can be a medicine cat," teased Honeypaw.

Rainwhisker emerged from the warrior's den. "Honeypaw! Time for training." Honeypaw blinked happily at the kits. "Bye!" She bounded off.

Jaykit sighed. "I _hate_ being stuck in camp."

"Me too," Hollykit agreed. "I wish I could fight a fox!"

"You'd be no match for one, though," meowed Squirrelflight, who was just padding out of the nursery. "Come back, kits, to the nursery." She watched as the three cats walked obediently into the sheltered space. Jaykit glance back once last time before she entered the warm nest. She caught a glimpse of Ashfur glaring at her.


	4. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter.**

The evening patrol padded proudly through the gorse tunnel just as Jaykit peeked out of the nursery. There was Brackenfur, Sorreltail and Rainwhisker with Honeypaw and Molepaw. As Jaykit watched, Honeypaw glanced at her and flicked her tail eagerly.

"Warrior," the she-cat mouthed. Jaykit's paws prickled. Honeypaw was going to become a warrior! By the purrs coming from Molepaw, he would get a warrior name too.

Jaykit watched Brackenfur and Rainwhisker walk up to Brambleclaw. She couldn't hear their words, but Brambleclaw nodded and led the two cats up to Firestar's den. They disappeared inside the den, and after a minute the warriors along with Firestar stepped onto the Highledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar watched as the ThunderClan cats gathered below the rocky overhang.

Firestar raised his head to look at the two apprentices. His clear meow rang around the ThunderClan camp. "I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." The rusty-furred tom looked down at Honeypaw and Molepaw.

"Honeypaw, Molepaw," Firestar continued. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

The apprentices nodded excitedly. Jaykit watched her friend from the nursery since she could not come to Clan meetings yet as she hadn't caught any prey. _If I had caught that mouse_, she thought.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Honeypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Honeystreak. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar bounded down from the Highledge and touched his muzzle to Honeystreak's head, and the new warrior licked his shoulder respectfully. Trembling with excitement, she padded over to the other warriors.

Firestar turned to Molepaw. "Molepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Molefur. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He rested his muzzle on Molefur's head and the warrior licked her shoulder before stepping away to join Honeystreak.

The clearing was silent for a heartbeat, and then the cheer started. "Honeystreak! Molefur! Honeystreak! Molefur! " All the cat's meows rang through the camp. Poppypaw and Cinderpaw cheered loudest of all for their brother and sister. Berrytail and Hazelwing followed the two apprentices as they moved forward to greet the two cats.

Firestar's meow silenced the cats. "It will soon be moonhigh," he mewed. "In the tradition of our ancestors, Honeystreak and Molefur must sit in silent vigil until dawn, and guard the camp alone while we sleep." The newly made warriors bowed their heads silently, then pressed through the surrounding cats to the gorse tunnel.

Jaykit turned to see Hollykit and Lionkit standing behind her. "Wow!" mewed Lionkit. "Too bad we won't be apprentices for about a moon."

Jaykit agreed. "I'll be Jaypaw, the greatest apprentice. Then I'll be Jay...something, and be the greatest warrior, too!"

"Kits!" meowed Squirrelflight from inside the nursery. "Don't get carried away! You won't be warriors for many seasons." She beckoned with her tail, and the three kits padded to her. "All right, Firestar told me that the fox is gone, so you can go into the forest. But," she added as Jaykit jumped up. "I'll come with you, of course."

"Yes!" cheered Jaykit. "Come on!" She raced towards the camp entrance with Hollykit and Jaykit on her heels.

"Not yet!" yowled Squirrelflight, her ginger fur standing on end in exasperation. "Jaykit! Hollykit! Lionkit!"

The kits skidded to a halt at the gorse tunnel. Squirrelflight was pushing her way out of the nursery. "You can't go outside _now_," she meowed sternly. "Look at the sky; it's almost dark. I meant that you could go out of camp _tomorrow_."

"Oh." Jaykit lowered her head and padded reluctantly back to the she-cat's side. Hollykit and Lionkit followed her, glancing back at the darkening trees through the protective tunnel. "Phooey. We'll _never_ get to go outside."

"Tomorrow will come sooner than you think," promised Squirrelflight, pushing her kits forward with her tail. She entered the nursery and padded to a clump of moss. Jaykit clambered onto it, circling around to create a small nest, and the other cats copied her actions. The three kits curled up beside Squirrelflight, who laid her head on her front paws.

In a few minutes, the soft sounds of sleeping cats told Jaykit that her mother, brother and sister were asleep. The dark brown kit looked up at the roof of the nursery; she could just see the night sky through the closely woven branches. Jaykit closed her eyes, locking the image of the stars in her mind.

A soft mew made Jaykit's ears twitch. "Jaykit! Jaykit, look!"

Jaykit pushed herself up sleepily. "Lionkit, what-?" Her eyes snapped open. Lionkit and Hollykit were standing beside her, but they were no longer in the nursery. Instead the lake at the edge of ThunderClan territory glittered before them, shining with all of the warriors of Silverpelt. Jaykit's jaw dropped. "How did we get here?"

"By dreaming," replied Hollykit simply. Her eyes were fixed on the stars, and then they widened in surprise. Jaykit looked up as well, and then her heart skipped a beat.

_The stars were moving._

As the three kits watched, stunned, cats appeared around them, their pelts made up of starlight. A gray-blue she-cat caught Jaykit's attention. The StarClan warrior had an air of authority.

"Welcome, Jaykit, Hollykit and Lionkit," mewed the blue queen. "Kits of Squirrelflight, and kin of Firestar. You are young, though StarClan sees great things for you. I am Bluestar, once leader of ThunderClan."

Jaykit blinked, speechless. She had never heard of any cats besides leaders and medicine cats that had dreams about StarClan, much less kits. But these warriors were here, in front of her and Hollykit and Lionkit.

There was a shimmer of light. Jaykit looked down at the ground in amazement as it glowed beneath her paws. Immediately the dirt and stone changed to stars, bright points in the night.

"Take note of what you have seen," meowed Bluestar. She flicked her tail, and as she did so the gleaming cats around her faded away, in what might have lasted a heartbeat or a moon, until the only things left beside the lake were the three kits and the swaths of stars around their paws.


	5. Chapter 4

**Yay for reviews! But I need more (hopefully 10) if you want Book Two and Three. **

Jaykit's eyes flew open as bright sunlight hit her face through a gap between the branches in the nursery. Hollykit and Lionkit were waking beside her, as a cat meowed at them. It was Squirrelflight.

"Come on, kits. Are you going to sleep until sunhigh? I thought you wanted to go into the forest."

Jaykit jumped up. "Yes!"

Just then a gray tom pushed into the den. "Here, Squirrelflight, a mouse."

Squirrelflight nodded gratefully. "Thanks Stormfur." She accepted the fresh-kill, and pushed it towards her kits. "Eat." Jaykit glanced at Stormfur. Rainwhisker had told her about the gray warrior; he had originally come from RiverClan, but he had left because of his love for a Tribe cat called Brook Where Small Fish Swim. The two cats had come back to the Clans many seasons before, and were sheltered in ThunderClan because RiverClan had driven them out for attacking a warrior.

Stormfur ducked back out of the nursery. Jaykit took a bite of the mouse that Squirrelflight offered to her, but she was too excited to feel hungry. "Can we go now?" she asked impatiently.

Squirrelflight sighed. "All right." She got to her paws and padded out of the nursery with Jaykit, Hollykit and Lionkit at her heels.

As the cats stalked through the gorse tunnel, Honeystreak and Molefur were coming back into camp, looking tired but happy. "Hi, Honeystreak!" called Jaykit. The warrior answered with a flick of her tail.

As Jaykit turned back to her brother and sister, Hollykit whispered to her, "Were you really there, in that dream?"

Jaykit nodded. Lionkit glanced around. "I couldn't believe it!" he meowed quietly. "StarClan!"

"I know!" Jaykit paused as she exited the tunnel and bright sunlight warmed her pelt. "I'm going to catch a mouse!" she mewed as she looked around.

"Not before me!" yowled Lionkit, and the two cats raced off into the undergrowth. Jaykit tasted the air, and the warm scents of the forest and prey-scent were all around her. She sensed Lionkit veering away to find his own mouse, and kept running.

After another heartbeat, Jaykit smelled prey. _Yes!_ she thought. Moving slowly through the plants, the kit picked up on the movement of a mouse. Jaykit watched the small gray-brown creature nibbling at a seed, and shifted her weight onto her haunches like Honeystreak had told her once. Then the kit pushed off the ground and landed squarely on the mouse. It tried to run, but Jaykit lifted it into the air with her claws, and bit its neck as it landed on the hard earth.

Jaykit pressed the mouse into the ground. The prey stopped struggling beneath her paws, and Jaykit released the shape. Carefully she picked it up in her mouth and padded back towards Squirrelflight.

The she-cat looked very pleased, and she pressed her muzzle into Jaykit's fur. "Your first catch!" she exclaimed. "You can take that to the elders. Mousefur and Longtail need some fresh-kill."

"Does this mean I can come to Clan meetings?" asked Jaykit.

"Yes," meowed a flame colored tom, walking through the gorse tunnel. Jaykit blinked respectfully; it was Firestar. "I'm glad you caught fresh-kill. The Clan needs it now, and you're learning about hunting as well."

The ThunderClan leader watched as Lionkit appeared through the bushes, holding a mouse as well. Hollykit, who had stayed by Squirrelflight when the others tried hunting, was sniffing at a patch of leaves.

"Is this dandelion?" she mewed doubtfully.

"You'll have to ask Leafpool," meowed Firestar.

"I'm right here." The cats turned. Leafpool was padding from the gorse tunnel into the forest. "I'm off to find more herbs, Firestar. And yes, Hollykit, that is dandelion. See the bright flowers?"

Hollykit's eyes shone almost as bright as the flowers when Leafpool praised her. Jaykit couldn't help wondering if Hollykit was doing what Honeystreak had said and was trying to become a medicine cat.

"I want to catch another mouse!" meowed Lionkit.

"Me too!"

"Wait for me, kits!" yowled Squirrelflight. Jaykit heard her turn back to Firestar and mew, "They drive me _crazy_ sometimes."

Jaykit kept running, moving farther into the forest. Then she skidded to a halt as she scented the air. There was a strange smell on the breeze, a cat scent but not ThunderClan. Jaykit crouched and crept slowly forward towards the stench. She swished her long brown tail noiselessly as she spotted two unfamiliar cats.

One of the invaders was a dark ginger she-cat, and the other a small tabby tom. The tom looked uncomfortable, but the she-cat had a glint of determination in her eyes.

"We shouldn't be in ThunderClan territory, Russetfur," hissed the tom.

"It will be ShadowClan territory now, Lightcloud." Russetfur sniffed the air, then widened her eyes. "ThunderClan!" she snarled.

Jaykit stood paralyzed by fear as the ShadowClan cats came towards her. She was about to run when the one called Russetfur called out, "Kits!" A small shape yowled and broke cover, it's fiery-ginger pelt bristling in fear.

Jaykit gasped. "Lionkit!"

Russetfur darted forward and grabbed Lionkit in her teeth, but Lightcloud snapped at her. "There's another cat! We have to leave!" He motioned with his tail in the direction he had heard Jaykit's gasp.

Russetfur dropped Lionkit and held him down with one paw. "What?" The ShadowClan warrior unsheathed her claws against Lionkit. "Come out, little ThunderClan cat. Come out to save your precious friend." Lionkit struggled, but Russetfur wouldn't let go. Then the cat's eyes flashed, and she saw where Jaykit was hiding.

"A kit!" The she-cat glared at Jaykit. "Well, why don't you run home to your leader, you pitiful scrap of fur, and tell him that ShadowClan is here." Russetfur's tail lashed the air triumphantly. "This is _ShadowClan_ territory now."

**Review it! Review it! ** **Yay!**


	6. Chapter 5

"_Firestar_!"

Jaykit yowled as loudly as she could, frantically hoping that the ThunderClan leader and Squirrelflight were nearby, looking for her. Russetfur hissed and pressed Lionkit into the ground.

"Your leader can't help you now, kit," the ShadowClan deputy hissed. "He can't fight us on _our_ territory!" Lionkit whimpered in protest under her claws. "Quiet!" Russetfur snapped. She dug her talons deeper into his fur.

Jaykit jabbed her claws into the ground. "This is _ThunderClan_ territory, you stupid furball!" she snarled, leaping at Russetfur. Although Jaykit was just a kit, Russetfur stumbled, losing her grip on Lionkit. Immediately the fiery colored tabby jumped onto the invader as well, his claws unsheathed. The ShadowClan warrior was covered in clawing, biting kits

"Stop!" growled Russetfur as Jaykit swiped her claws across the warrior's ear. "Littlecloud, get them!"

But the small tom shook his head. "I _told_ you that we shouldn't be in ThunderClan territory, Russetfur."

Russetfur spat. "Blackstar won't be happy, Littlecloud!"

"I doubt it!"

Russetfur froze as a cat leaped out of the bushes, yowling those words at her. "Firestar!" she gasped. The rusty-furred tom snarled and rammed into the ShadowClan deputy. Jaykit was flung to the ground as the two warriors clawed at each other's fur. Lionkit was thrown beside her.

"Jaykit! Lionkit!" It was Squirrelflight, bursting out of the foliage. "I thought – when I heard you yowl – oh, I glad you're all right!" She pressed her muzzle into the kits' pelt, breathing in their scent. Hollykit appeared behind her. "ShadowClan!" The kit's eyes widened in surprise.

Firestar aimed a slash at Russetfur's neck. The ShadowClan deputy hissed as stinging claws ripped through to flesh. "Blackstar won't be glad to find out that you're invading ThunderClan territory!"

Russetfur howled, but Littlecloud's teeth snapped down on her tail. "Come on, Russetfur!" he meowed as the warrior turned on him, spitting. "I told you we shouldn't come here!"

Russetfur looked back at Firestar and suddenly ran back towards ShadowClan territory with her fur bristling. Littlecloud bolted after her. "Sorry, Firestar!" he called back. "Russetfur's a bit erratic today!"

Firestar let his fur lie flat again as the two cats' scents faded. "Are you okay?" he asked Jaykit and Lionkit. The two kits nodded, speechless. "Then let's get you back to camp." Firestar brushed back them, padding towards camp. Jaykit noticed the leader looking at her, Lionkit and Hollykit thoughtfully.

Hollykit pressed her pelt against Jaykit's. "I can't believe ShadowClan tried to attack!" She noticed Firestar's glances. "Did he have a dream, too?" she asked, quieter.

"Maybe." Jaykit blinked.

After a few minutes Jaykit scented the ThunderClan camp. Jaykit sighed in relief. "Finally, nice ThunderClan scent."

As the cats pushed through the gorse tunnel, Firestar padded aside to speak to Squirrelflight. The she-cat nodded to the leader's purr, and though Jaykit strained her ears, she couldn't her their low meows. Then Firestar swished his tail.

"I will tell the Clan," he mewed, loud enough for Jaykit to hear.

"You mean _now_?" Squirrelflight blinked.

"Of course. They are ready." Firestar bounded across the camp and up to the Highledge. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Cats appeared, their ears twitching in surprise at this unexpected meeting. Firestar watched them appear from where they sat, where they had been sharing tongues in the heat of sun-high.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Firestar started. "Today a ShadowClan patrol tried to take territory from us." Yowls of protest bounced around the camp. "But two kits, Lionkit and Jaykit, helped fight them off until Squirrelflight and I could come. I believe that it is time for Squirrelflight's kits to become apprentices."

Jaykit's heart pounded in her chest. She would become an apprentice in just a moment? She could hardly believe what Firestar was saying.

"Come forward, Jaykit, Lionkit and Hollykit," meowed Firestar. "Lionkit, you will now be known as Lionpaw." The ThunderClan leader's gaze surveyed the crowd of cats. "Berrytail, you are ready to have an apprentice. You will be mentor to Lionpaw."

Berrytail looked stunned, but he padded up and touched noses with Lionpaw. Firestar raised his head again.

"Hollykit, you are now Hollypaw. Brackenfur, you were a good mentor to Molefur. I expect you to teach Hollypaw just as well."

Brackenfur touched noses with his new apprentice like Berrytail had, also looking surprised. Usually warriors knew in advance before they got an apprentice.

Firestar swept his gaze around to Jaykit. The leader's glance burned into Jaykit's fur. "Jaykit, you will be known as Jaypaw." The tom narrowed his eyes, thinking. The other cats in the clearing shifted as Firestar paused.

Then the leader's stare fixed on a single, gray cat at the edge of the group. His meow rang across the ThunderClan camp.

"Ashfur will be Jaypaw's mentor."

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**Okay, Book One is finished! Please people, I need more reviews before I write Book Two. Then you'll find out what happens with Ashfur and everything!  
**


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